JEFF STAPLE
The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot: Jeff Staple: The Marma Spot:One Word. No Spaces.
Morning Jeff. How was your night?
I slept 1.5 hours. Literally. Last night was Friday night. Party night right?!
No. I worked in the office till 12:30am. Then went to have a coffee with a friend. Then went home and packed my bags for a week long trip to Tokyo.
I slept from 6am-7:30am to catch my flight.
Could you please introduce yourself for those that don’t know you?
OK my name is jeffstaple. All lowercase. One word. No spaces. I founded Staple Design, Staple clothing and Reed Space. I’m also the Creative Director.
Let’s jump right in. Can you talk to us a bit about how the Airwalk project came to be and then a bit about what you hope to accomplish with the line that is being sold at Payless?
Airwalk approached Staple about doing a shoe. We were flattered but we’ve done shoes with other companies in the past (Nike, New Balance, Converse, Gravis, etc). I really wanted to do something bigger and more comprehensive. Fortunately, Airwalk was open to the ideas. Part of this larger idea was that the collection be sold at a retailer that could offer some reach and affordability. We’ve played in the upper tier market of sneaker culture. That’s really fun and cool but the down side is that it’s almost a myth. How many people have actually seen a NB Pigeon or a Pigeon Dunk with their own 2 eyes in person?. Probably not many. So my goal with this is to give access to more people.
I know the relationship between Staple and Airwalk is long-term. Is there a
set number of shoes that you have agreed to complete with Airwalk or is it a contract based on a length of time?
It’s a multi-year partnership. The style number is not set in stone. We design many styles and then certain ones always rise to the top.
No shoe that you create for Airwalk is supposed to retail for more than $50, has this impacted the design or the materials you work with? How so/or
how not?
I feel like design is not based on pricing of the shoe. A #2 Pencil can be beautiful in design. The material is a design challenge–a good one though.
The materials play a huge part in the final pricing of the shoe. But the design challenge we gave ourselves is creating something that is durable, comfortable, cool-looking and all within $49.99.
Staple Design.com has recently undergone an extensive change. Your longtime blog To Darrin Hudson is now housed under the same roof as Staple Design, Reed Space, Reed Pages, your Twitter Feed, and everything else Staple.
It works well together. What were your main reasons for doing this?
The main complaint I was hearing from fans was that they have to go to half a dozen places to see everything. In fact, most didn’t bother. And hence,
one group of people didn’t know we have a clothing line. Another group didn’t know we have a creative agency. And yet another group didn’t realize we have Reed Space. So I wanted to show everything. And that was no easy to task…to show everything we do in a clean simple website.
I know you have been going back and forth to L.A. a nice bit in the past few months, would you ever consider expanding the Staple Collective to the west coast or at least open a Reed Space or Staple Design shop out there?
Most definitely! I used to be anti-LA…but I gotta say, it’s growing on me
in a big way.
People need goals. My list of goals is constantly changing in order to keep motivated and passionate. With all that you have done what are some things you still want to do before you’re all done?
One of my main goals now is taking care of the people that hold it down for Reed and Staple. I’m trying to navigate the company in a manner where one day, people can retire from working here and be happy in what they’ve accomplished.
I’m a recovering magazine addict. I have really narrowed in on a few key magazines that I like across different fields. The Reed Pages is quickly becoming one of the staples in that select group. Can you talk a bit about the approach you have taken with the Reed Pages as well as the strategies you’re using to help you build a loyal following?
I’ve always wanted to do a print publication. I have a few ideas for different magazines. But one of them was doing a cultural publication stemming from Reed Space, and that’s what Reed Pages is. It’s basically just everything that inspires what I do. And as you can see, the inspiration source can be from anywhere. I don’t think about strategies for building a following. I do what feels right to my gut. And I’m fortunate that there are other people who are receptive to it.
What are your top 5 magazines of all time, still in publication or not and why were/are they your favorite?
Vibe (Year One). Ground breaking for hip-hip. Elevated the culture. The first issue with Treach on the cover said it all. Raygun (David Carson era). He did an entire issue Zapf Dingbats. Nuff said. New York Times Magazine (Sunday Edition). The magazine that doesn’t play by the rules of other magazines. They’re lucky because their distribution model allows them to be free. Monocle. The best new magazine. Hands down. Not only from design and editorial content. But from a business model as well. It’s genius. Wired. One of the few magazines, I can read from cover to cover…every single page. Great design…witty writing…perfect amount of information consumption.
I am not only a recovering magazine addict but also a certified audiophile.
I have no intentions of getting help for it either. Ha. What music have you been listening to lately and what was the last album you bought?
DOOM (aka MF Doom) “Born Like This” is the last album I bought.
Others: El Michel’s Affair Kitty, Daisy & Lewis Carole King Kanye West
Carly Simon Erykah Badu
Is there anything you are currently working on that you can share details about with us?
My health. It’s going well. I’ve lost 19 lbs since January.
I want to be my own boss someday. What is the one thing I need to know above all else before taking the jump?
Forget the idea. Ideas come a dime a dozen. Especially if you’re as good as you think you are. Figure out how you are going to run your BUSINESS.
How are you going to MAKE your thing? How are you going to STORE your thing? How are people going to PAY for your thing? Thinking about things like this will ensure you can live your dream longer.
The Staple brand is pretty diverse any chance you’d enter into the realm of reality T.V.?
I would love to. As long as it were done on my own terms. But I am definitely entertaining the idea.
Is there anything we haven’t touched on yet that you’d like to?
Nope….I think we’re good. Thanks!
Many thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to chop it up with us. Much peace and Much Respect from all of us here at The Marma Spot.
season 2
